Selection tests – practice tests

Some employers, usually the bigger ones, use selection or 'aptitude' tests to measure specific abilities or skills. The employer identifies the most important skills for the job, and then asks applicants to take a test or a series of tests to measure these skills. Below you'll find some examples.

Army – BARB practice test

The Army uses a test called the British Army Entrance Test or British Army Recruit Battery (BARB) to assess applicants’ suitability for training and match them with suitable roles.

There are five sections in the test: reasoning, letter checking, number distance, odd one out, and symbol rotation.

You do the test on a computer, using touch screen techniques to answer the questions. The test lasts 30 minutes. There are practice tests on their website in Joining the Army.

Scottish and Northern Ireland Plumbing Employers` Federation (SNIPEF)

Plumbing companies use the BPEC (British Plumbing Employers’ Confederation) entrance selection test to assess potential apprentices. The test covers numerical and problem solving skills, including questions on using the 24-hour clock (relevant because plumbers work with different types of timing devices).